Volunteer army clear up Pinfold

Carol Baldwin, of Bentley with Arksey Heritage Society and Director of Growing a greater Bentley Ltd, pictured helping to clean-up the Pinfold on Finkle Street, which its hoped will become a haven for people and wildlife. Picture: Marie Caley D3413MC

RESIDENTS have been getting their hands dirty by clearing up an old animal shed which had been used for years as a dumping ground.

Neighbourhood police and council officers joined forces with the team from Growing A Greater Bentley and Bentley and Arksey Heritage Society to remove ten tonnes of rubbish and weeds from the Bentley Pinfold, which was built more than 100 years ago to store stray animals.

Residents will now be given the chance to decide what they want the area to be used for, with many suggesting it be turned into a haven for wildlife.

Chris Platt, treasurer of Growing a Greater Bentley, said: “I would like to see it used as a wildlife garden.

“Somewhere where wildlife could be seen, with the possibility of some seating there.

“The Pinfold was actually pretty revolting inside, but there has been a lot of work done to tidy it up.”

The Pinfold is Grade-II listed site due to its age, even though it has fallen into disrepair recently and currently has no roof.

Volunteers spent several hours at the patch of land surrounding the building in Finkle Street clearing and flattening the land ready to be transformed into a community area later in the year.

The work was among the projects Grow A Greater Bentley is planning to transform derelict land in the area into community use.

Anyone wanting to get involved with the project in future can contact the Growing a Better Bentley Group by emailing grow.bentley@gmail.com

Alternatively contact the Bentley with Arksey Heritage Society on 01302 876 413 or by emailing entleywitharkseyheritagesociety@hotmail.co.uk